Phantom rallies come up short against USA

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Despite rallying from behind on three separate occasions, including twice in the third period, the Youngstown Phantoms were edged out by the US National Team’s Under-17 squad 4-3 Saturday afternoon at the Ice Cube.

The teams split the weekend’s two-game series, with both contests decided by a single goal.

Rocco Grimaldi, who had two goals and four assists against Youngstown this weekend, swept in a backhander with 4:06 to go to provide the winning margin.

The Phantoms’ Jefferson Dahl had tipped teammate Dave Donnellan’s point shot into the net 35 seconds earlier to tie the game 3-3.

The teams entered the third period tied at one goal apiece, but the scoring pace quickly picked up in the final frame. Robbie Russo’s power-play wrister found twine at the 7:34 mark to push Team USA back on top 2-1, only to be answered by Youngstown’s Taylor Holstrom at 12:31. Holstrom popped in the rebound of Brett Gensler’s turning shot with the Phantoms on a five-on-three power play.

The seesaw battle soon continued with a shorthanded goal off the stick of Team USA’s Blake Pietila. J.T. Miller’s pass set him up on the inner edge of the right circle for an open snap shot that beat Phantoms goalie Matt Mahalak, who made 14 saves in his second consecutive start.

Dahl’s tip-in knotted the proceedings one more time just before Team USA’s Tyler Biggs’ major penalty for grabbing Scott Mayfield’s facemask expired.

The Phantoms swarmed the Red, White and Blue’s net in the final minutes while enjoying a couple of late power plays but couldn’t squeeze another equalizer past goalie Matt McNeely.